His Unwanted Wife, Now Unreachable Queen

Bailey, an invisible shadow to the powerful Douglas family, stood in the freezing rain, watching City Hall. For five long years, she’d been used to being forgotten. But today, her entire world shattered as her fiancé, Jameson, walked out with another woman, Haleigh, holding their fresh marriage certificates.

Jameson scooped Haleigh into his arms, treating her like fragile glass, convinced she’d saved him from a burning car five years ago. He never knew it was Bailey who pulled him from the flames, nor that Haleigh's "sickness" had left Bailey with an ugly scar from donating bone marrow, making her a mere family blood bank.

Watching them kiss, pure nausea rose from years of blame. Bailey later found a joyous celebration for Haleigh at the manor. Her wet arrival drew only cold annoyance; Jameson gave pitying instructions before all four men rushed to Haleigh’s side when she faked a cough.

Haleigh, with a sweet smile, presented Bailey a "gift"—a velvet box. Forced to open it, a venomous Brown Recluse spider dropped onto Bailey's hand, sinking its fangs deep. As white-hot agony exploded and her vision blurred, Haleigh theatrically screamed, deliberately scraping her forehead.

The men, blind with panic for Haleigh’s minor scratch, roared at Bailey, shoved her to the floor, and rushed Haleigh to the car. Left to die alone, struggling for breath as her body shut down, Bailey knew this was the end of playing their disgusting game. She had already activated her hidden trust fund, planning to buy a remote island and disappear forever.

Chapter 1

Bailey Douglas POV:

I stood on the corner across from City Hall. There was no awning. No shelter. The freezing autumn rain slammed into my thin trench coat, soaking straight through to my skin, but I didn't move. I kept my eyes locked on the revolving glass doors across the street.

I was used to being forgotten. For five years, the Douglas family had left me standing in the cold, waiting outside while they lived their lives.

The heavy glass doors pushed open. Jameson stepped out first. He wore a custom black suit that seemed to absorb the gray light of the storm. In his hand, he held two crisp, red marriage certificates.

My breath stopped. My lungs seized in my chest. My fingernails dug into my palms so hard the skin broke, but I couldn't feel the pain. I just felt a hollow, echoing emptiness.

Haleigh followed him out. She wore a pure white lace dress that fluttered in the wind. She swayed, letting out a soft gasp as she pretended to lose her balance. Her white high heel stepped directly into a puddle.

Jameson dropped his expensive umbrella instantly. He didn't even look at it. He scooped Haleigh up into his arms, lifting her out of the water. His face was tight with panic and fierce, desperate protection. He held her like she was his entire world. He held her like she was the woman who had dragged him out of